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W. W. JOHNSONI8ZJ P. P. RIOKENB AOHER.

BRAKE BLOCK.

Patented Apr. 19, 1887.

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UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILL w. JOHNsON AND PA L P. RICKENBAOHER, OF WASHINGTON, D. o.

BRAKE-BLOCK.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,422, dated April 19, 1887.

Application filed February 28, 1887. Serial No. 229,187. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILL W. JOHNSON and PAUL P. RIGKENBAOHER, citizens of the United States, residing at Washington city,'

in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake- Blocks, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificatiomin which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a brake-block embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionalview of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View on the line as :10 of Fig. 2.

Our invention relates to certain improvements in brake-blocks for vehicles; and it consists in the peculiar constructions and combinations of devices which we will hereinafter fully describe and specifically claim.

To enable Others skilled in the art to which our invention appertains to make and use the same, we will now describe its construction and indicate the manner in which the same is carried out.

In the said drawings, A represents a brake bar or shaft such as is usually located in the front of the vehicles rear wheels, and B represents a brake-block secured to said shaft and adapted to be brought into contact with the periphery of said wheel in the usual manner.

The shaft A in the present case has a threaded end, a, which is engaged by a nut, b,and is also provided with a shoulder or flange, c, the lower surface of which is rounded or camshaped, for a purpose we will hereinafter specify. I

The brake-blocks of many vehicles now in use have been constructed of wood, and sometimes the wearing-faces of these blocks are pro tected by a plate of metal or shoe; but in either case the wear upon the blocks, when applied to heavy road-wagons, was such that in a comparatively short time the said blocks were worn to such an extent as to greatlyimpair their-usefulness, thus rendering it necessary to replace them with new ones. In the present instance we have constructed our blockpreferably of cast-iron, the slightly increased cost andweight of which is more than lug or extension, d, the inner face of which is set back sufficiently far from "the corresponding face of the block as to form a shoulder or seat, 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and against which the curved or cam-shaped portion of the flange c rests. The outerend of the shaft A is passed through the perforation g in the lug or extension d until the flange 0 is brought against the inner face of said lug, and the nut I) screwed upon the threaded end of saidshaft until it meets or abuts against the outer face of the lug, but not with sufficient force to pre' vent the brake-block from turning slightly upon its axis.

From this description itis manifest that when I the brakerblock is brought against the tire of the wheel it will rotate upon the shaft, and thus bring its working-face squarely against said wheel. By reason of the curved or camshaped flange the block is permitted to rotate, but only sufficiently to cause it to be brought directly against the tire of the contiguous wheel. 7

One of the most common and annoying results incident to many of the blocks as at present constructed is the liability of the same turning on its axis sufficiently to throw the block entirely over, thus impairing the working of the block and necessitating its removal and readjustment. This objectionable feature is overcome by the use of our block, inasmuch as the block, by reason of its engagement with the cam-flange, cannot possibly under any circumstances rotate in an arc greater than what is necessary to bring the curved face of the block squarely against the periphery of the wheel,

The upper portion of that part of the shaft A within the lug or projection dis slightly cut away, as shown at h, to be engaged by a setscrew, l, whereby the shaft cannot be withdrawn from said lug without first loosening the screw Z, even though the nut 12 should by any accident become detached from the end of the shaft. 'We are thus enabled to construct a cheap, substantial, and effective brakeblock, and one which can under all circumstances be brought squarely against thewhecl, even though a larger portion of its Workingface should be worn away.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The c0mbination,with abrake-block having a shoulder, a, of a shaft or brake bar having a flange, 0, provided with a cam-surface engaging said shoulder and limiting the rotary movement of said block, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with the metallicblock B, having the perforated lug or extension (Z and a shoulder, a, of a shaft or brake-bar en- WILL W. JOHNSON. PAUL P. RIOKENBACHER.

\Vitnesses:

T. WALTER FOWLER, W. H. PATTERSON. 

